Cauldron pies

Ingredients

Melted butter, to grease

12 sheets (25 x 25cm) ready-rolled frozen puff pastry, just thawed

1 egg, lightly whisked

2 (about 220g each) single chicken breast fillets, fat removed

50g butter, extra

2 tablespoons plain flour

375ml (1 1/2 cups) milk

40g (1/2 cup) coarsely grated cheddar

1 x 125g can corn kernels, drained

80g (1/2 cup) frozen peas, thawed

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 220°C.

Step 2

To make the cauldron lids, brush two 12-hole (80ml/1/3-cup) patty pans with melted butter to lightly grease. Use an 8cm-diameter pastry cutter to cut 24 discs from half the pastry sheets. Reserve leftover pieces. Starting from the centre, use a sharp knife to cut a 4cm-long, 1cm-wide (at outer edge) wedge from each disc. Bring the 2 cut edges of the disc together, overlapping slightly, and press together to form a shallow cone shape. Place in a patty pan. Repeat with remaining discs. Cover each pastry cone with non-stick baking paper and fill with rice or dried beans. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until pastry browns. Remove from oven. Remove paper and beans and set aside.

Step 3

To make the cauldron bases, brush two 12-hole (80ml/1/3-cup) muffin pans with melted butter to lightly grease. Use a 9cm-diameter pastry cutter to cut 24 discs from the remaining pastry sheets. Cut a 2cm-long, 5mm-wide (at the outer edge) wedge from each disc, then cut 3 more wedges, evenly spaced, from each disc. Bring cut edges together to make a cup shape. Place in the muffin pan. Repeat with remaining discs. Cover each pastry base with non-stick baking paper and fill with rice or dried beans. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until pastry browns. Remove from oven. Remove paper and rice or beans and set aside.

Step 4

Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Combine the leftover pieces of pastry and roll into a ball. Reserve one-third of the pastry. Divide the remaining pastry into 24 portions, then divide each portion into 3 small balls. Brush with egg. Place 3 small balls on the lined tray, to form cauldron feet, and top each with a cauldron base. Repeat with remaining pastry balls and cauldron bases. Divide the reserved portion of pastry into 24. Make each into a small button shape and place on the top of each cauldron lid. Brush with egg.

Step 5

Meanwhile, place the chicken in a medium frying pan. Pour over enough cold water to cover the chicken completely. Cover and bring to the boil over high heat. Uncover and reduce heat to low and poach, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove from heat and drain. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Coarsely chop the chicken.

Step 6

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until flour bubbles. Add the milk and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Add the chopped chicken, cheddar, corn and peas and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until heated through. Spoon the mixture among cauldron bases. Top with lid.

Step 7

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until browned and heated through.

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